Former Tibetan political prisoner Golog Jigme meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on July 26, 2018 at the U.S. Department of State, in Washington, D.C. Photo: TPI

President Dr Lobsang Sangay with the Thank You India Souvenir – A Dharmachakra representing the wheel of Universal Truth, at the press conference at Press Club of India on January 18, 2018. Photo: CTA/DIIR/Tenzin Phende

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Dharamshala: The Central Tibetan Administration and the general Tibetan populace jointly offered a huge long life prayer offering to His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Main Temple Tuesday morning.

The long life offering ceremony was attended by heads of the Five Schools of Tibetan Buddhism - Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, Gaden Tri-Rinpoche, Sakya Dhartri Rinpoche, and 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Rinpoche- along with the senior officials from the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission, Tibetan Parliament Members, Cabinet Ministers, and dignitaries from the autonomous bodies of the CTA. Around 10,000 Tibetans and foreigners were also in attendance.

At the end of the ceremony His Holiness the Dalai Lama thanked the organisers and spoke of his appreciation for the offering. He also urged Tibetans to pray for those who suffered and lost their lives in the 2008 uprisings around Tibet, and those in exile to continue the Tibetan struggle. "The Tibetan people inside Tibet are under Chinese suppression, but their sensitivity and patriotism towards the Tibetan cause is unshakable. We in this free land should cherish our opportunities to serve the common Tibetan cause, and to resolve it by ourselves."

His Holiness in particular stressed the importance of education, "without education, we as human beings cannot develop our talents. Loyalty alone is not enough to help the Tibetan cause. Especially modern education is necessary." His Holiness also talked about the inclusion of a traditional Tibetan education along with the fundamentals of Tibetan Buddhism, Dependent Origination."

The ceremony commemorated the 50th anniversary of the peaceful uprising against oppression by the Tibetan people against the People's Republic of China and the exile of the Tibetan community to India.